Log-skidding machine.



T. S. MILLER & 'J QH. DICKINSON.

. LOG SKIDDING MAGEEINE. APPLIOATIOII rum) AUG. 7. 1908.

Arronm-iys 4 SHEETS-$333141 Patente"Mar.-9, 1909 T. S. MILLER & J. H. DICKINSON.

LOG SKIDDING MACHINE. APPLICATION 1 1x121) AUG. 7. 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Mar. 9,' 1909.

% /NVtl/ TORS BY MA Arron/v Ys' .T..'S. MILLER & J. H. DIGKINSON.

WITNESSES" LOG SKIDDING-MAGHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 7, 1908. a

Patented M21129, 1909.

SHEETS-SHEET 3. 7/0

T. S. MILLER J. H. DICKINSON. LOG SKIDDING MACHINE. APLIOATON FILED AUG. 7,-190a.-

91 4,441; Patented Mar. 9,1909. I 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

' WITNESSES ATTOHNE Y3 1 Tnoinis SPENCER MILLER, or

SOUTH ORANGE, AND JOSEPH H. UIOKINSQN, OF BIIONTGLAIR,

NEW JERSEY.

LOG-SILIDDIT TQ hTiACEHNE.

of Essex, State of New J ersey, have invented a new and Improved Log-Skidding Machine,

of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description.

Our invention relates to a log skidding machine, the object being to construct a self-propelled machine having two skidding booms arranged to carry at their tops,

" through a swin ing connection, any desired number of blocks from which the lines may lead in any direction; and a set of guy lines also attached to said swinging connection so i that, when the booms are raised upon the arrival of the machine atthe point where logglng operations are to be commenced, the raising of the'boonis Wlll tighten theguys without, however, subjecting the booms to undue or unequal strains due to inequalities m'the lengths of the guy lines or (inferences in their angular relation with the base of the machine.

The invention will be understood from the following description. taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in fiilllCl'l Figure 1 'is a side elevation of'the complete machine; Fig. is a horizontal section on the plane of the line 22'of Fig. 3 Fig. 3 an end elevation; Fig. 4 a transverse vertical section; and Fig. 5 a detail view to explain the mode of operation of a part of the machine.

Similar reference characters indicate similar arts in the several views.

he machine herein described is mounted on a car body 1 adapted to travel on rails. The car may beof any usual or approved type built in a substantial manner and braced to afford a proper support for the parts carried thereby. As shown in. Fig. 2, it is provided with suitable braking and couplin appliances. l Ve prefer that the car 'shal be self-propelled as hereafter de: scribed.

The capacity and stability of the machine. of. the character herein described is increased by having two skidding booms andwe have, therefore, shown two such booms, and in the description will apply the same reference nu} merals to like parts at the opposite ends of the r ar'. 7

Near the middle of the car is statloneda Specification of Let-i I ff Patent.

7... Patented March s, 1909.

race. Serial no. stress.

boiler 2 which furnishes steam for two doublecylioder logging engines it being un derstood that the term engine is used as a general designation for the cylinder, drivmg connections, and drums. N ear each end of the car is a vertical A mast i the legs of which are stopped in suitable thrust blocks and stayed by tension rods 5. The mast 4 supports the tightening up blocks 6, 6" and 6 the latter being attached to the skidding boom 9. The rope 7 is fastened to block 6 and passes around the three blocks, as shown in Fig. 1, to friction. drum 8 on the logging engine.

Pivotally supported at each end of the car is a skidding boom v9, the side members of each boom being connected by a cross bar 10. To this cross bar is connected one end of a non-extensible member as a chain, rope or rod 11, the first-named being illustrated. The free end of said chain is of such form that the guy and sk dding lines may be attached thereto, a convenient form being to make one of the links in the form of a ring, as

shown. in Fig. 3, of such diameter as to ac:

commodate three or more blocks. The connection 11 is so attached to the boom, and is of suiiicient length to ermit a free swinging movement thereof. un er the strains'to which the guy lines are subjected. Attached to the chain 11 are the skidding blocks 12, 13 and 14, each having a swivel connection with the chain so that it may turn in any direction;

The skidding line 15 passes over the block 12 and is connected to the drum 16 of the logging engine. The line 17 passes over block 13 and is secured to the drum 18. The third skidding line 19, which may be used as a deckin line, passes around block 14 and is secure to drum'ZO. The drums of each engine are independently driven by friction" clutches as usual in all logging machinery. on the shaft 15' of drum 16 is keyed a spur gear 21 which meshes with a pinion 22. On the shaft of, the latter is a sprocket v.11eel 23 connected by link belting 24 to a'sprocket wheel 25 on a shaft 26 carried in bearings below the floor of the car. Said shaft carries sprocket wheels 27 connected by link belting to similar wheels on axles 28 of the car trucks, as clearly shown in the drawings. The engine for propelling the car will have a reverse link motion similar to that on known and 60 are also atte-hcd to the chain 3 l and preferably to the large link or ring to which the skidding blocks are attached. The guy lines are usually about 175 feet in length and 5 their outer ends are secured to suitable anchorages, such as the stump of a tree, so that when the skidding boom is raised said, guy lines will be tightened. In actual use it is practically impossible to find two anchorages equally distant from or making "similar angles with the base of the machine. The guy lines are run ahead of the machine in any convenient direction and usually at about an angle of 60 degrees to the machine, said lines being run ahead to hold the skidding blocks clear of the boom. Also the higher the skidding blocks the less interference of the skid.- ding lines with. the decking of the logs; By connecting the skidding and guy lines with the boom through a swinging connection many advantages are attained over a direct connection with said boom which is always held as rigidly as possible. When attached directly to the boom, if theguy lines are of unequal length or at different angles to the base of the machine, the raising of the boom 9 to tighten the guy lines Wlll produce a greater strain upon one than upon the other. A swinging connection, however, will adjust 36 itself to one side or the other, as indicated in ,ljig. 5, to equalize the strains on the .guy lines, thereby adding to the efliciency and stability of the machine. This equality will be maintained throughout the logging 'op-,. erations at a given setting thereby relieving the skidding booms of strains which will tend. to unseat or distort it.

It will be readily understood that when operating the machine the arrangement Per- 40 mits simultaneous use of the skidding lines at each end of the machine, and they may? be run out on either side of the track in any di rection to pull in logs within a radius defending upon their lengths. The skiddin 1 no 19 maybe used as a deckingllinesimu taneously with the use of the ot er linesfor skidding. The use of two skidding booms enlarges the ca acity of the machine as the lines conhecte thereto may be in siniul- .50 taneous use.

Inpractice the chain 11 .is' frjqhid8 inches, f to twofeet in length and by its use when a is being skidded" by line 1'5 the side pull be resisted by the opposite guyjline and will relieve theiboom from tortional strains.

'- Similarl [the line 2a w illfresist thepu'll; of thee 'dding l ne-17 the free end of said boom, and guy lines at tached to said connection.

' 3. In amachine of the character described the combination of a skidding boom, a nonext'ensible swinging connection attached to blocks and.

nection.

l, in a machine of the character described guy lines attached'to said conextensible chain attached to the free end of said boom and capable of a swinging move went about its point of attachment, and skidding blocks and guy lines attached d irectly to said chain 5. In. a machine'ot the character described the combination of a car adapted to travel on rails, two skidding-booms secured to said car at oppositeends thereoij'bloclns attached to the free ends of said booms through a non:

extensible swinging connection, lguy, lines also attached to said .connectiohfand winding mechanisinfor the skidding linesmounted on the car between said. hooms. 'f

6. In a machine of the character described the combination or a skidding boom, a honextensible swinging connection of substanbdom, blo'clrssecured to said connection, and guy lines oppositely attached'tosaid connection so that :the'pnll on. a given block will be directlyresisted by the oppositely disposed guy line'fto thereby. relievegthe boom of torti'ona'l strains.

Q'j-In testimony whereof we have: hereunto edponrananies the presence of two su scribing witnesses. f

. THOMAS SPENCER MILLER. JOSEPH DICKINSON.

w Witnesses;

Louis G. Russians,

FRANK M. Motions.

the free end of said boom, and skidding the combination of a skidding boom, a non tial lengtl' lsttached to the free-end of said fill extensible swinging connection attached to 

